with works by Maurice Ravel, André Caplet, Gabriel Fauré, Kurt Weill, Prince Edmond de Polignac, and Cole Porter
with works by Maurice Ravel, André Caplet, Gabriel Fauré, Kurt Weill, Prince Edmond de Polignac, and Cole Porter
Repertoire and collaborators TBA
Bel Canto is an annual benefit performance featuring international opera stars, many of whom have performed at the Metropolitan Opera. The program features arias from favorite operas but also includes popular songs from Broadway shows as well.
Founded in 1993 exclusively as a benefit for the Bascom, Bel Canto’s beneficiaries now include the music programs at the Highlands school and the local preschools. Through the generosity of its benefactors Bel Canto has contributed over $750,000 for the benefit of the Highlands Community in the last 15 years.
The 33rd annual Bel Canto Recital will be held in Highlands on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 4 PM at the Performing Arts Center. A gala dinner with the artists will follow at the Highlands Country Club.
The performance will feature a quartet of internationally recognized singers.
Soprano: Ashley Milanese
Mezzo Soprano: Abi Levis
Tenor: Christopher Bozeka
Baritone: Brian James Myer
Bass: Matthew Anchel
with Gabriel Preisser & Nathan Stark, baritones
La Cenerentola, or “The Triumph of Goodness” tells the classic tale of Cinderella seen through the sunny Italian lens of the great comedic genius, Giachino Rossini.
"La Cenerentola" is an enchanting operatic twist on the beloved Cinderella tale, filled with humor, romance, and beautiful music. In this version, Prince Ramiro disguises himself as a servant to find a bride based on character rather than appearance, while his valet, Dandini, poses as the Prince. The kind-hearted Cenerentola (Cinderella) captures the true Prince's heart, not with a glass slipper, but with a pair of matching bracelets. In this version, the two stepsisters are as ugly and conniving as ever, but instead of a stepmother, the sisters are overseen by a buffoonish and nasty stepfather. Furthermore, the role of the fairy godmother is filled with a kindly and gentle “Godfather.”
This opera showcases Rossini's hilarious comedic timing and brilliant melodies, as the characters navigate mistaken identities, family tensions, and the search for true love. With its themes of forgiveness triumphing over cruelty and inner beauty outshining superficial charm, "La Cenerentola" offers a delightful evening of entertainment that will appeal to seasoned opera lovers and newcomers alike. Don't miss this magical production that proves dreams really do come true!
Gioachino Rossini, composer
Jacopo Ferretti, librettist
La Cenerentola, or “The Triumph of Goodness” tells the classic tale of Cinderella seen through the sunny Italian lens of the great comedic genius, Giachino Rossini.
"La Cenerentola" is an enchanting operatic twist on the beloved Cinderella tale, filled with humor, romance, and beautiful music. In this version, Prince Ramiro disguises himself as a servant to find a bride based on character rather than appearance, while his valet, Dandini, poses as the Prince. The kind-hearted Cenerentola (Cinderella) captures the true Prince's heart, not with a glass slipper, but with a pair of matching bracelets. In this version, the two stepsisters are as ugly and conniving as ever, but instead of a stepmother, the sisters are overseen by a buffoonish and nasty stepfather. Furthermore, the role of the fairy godmother is filled with a kindly and gentle “Godfather.”
This opera showcases Rossini's hilarious comedic timing and brilliant melodies, as the characters navigate mistaken identities, family tensions, and the search for true love. With its themes of forgiveness triumphing over cruelty and inner beauty outshining superficial charm, "La Cenerentola" offers a delightful evening of entertainment that will appeal to seasoned opera lovers and newcomers alike. Don't miss this magical production that proves dreams really do come true!
Gioachino Rossini, composer
Jacopo Ferretti, librettist
MOZART Don Giovanni
CIM Opera Theater
JJ Hudson, director
Harry Davidson, conductor
CIM Orchestra
$20-$50
Playhouse Square Box Office: playhousesquare.org or 216.241.6000
CIM Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation.
CIM thanks its spring 2025 season sponsor, Eaton Corporation.
Mimi Ohio Theatre
Playhouse Square
1511 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
MOZART Don Giovanni
CIM Opera Theater
JJ Hudson, director
Harry Davidson, conductor
CIM Orchestra
$20-$50
Playhouse Square Box Office: playhousesquare.org or 216.241.6000
CIM Opera Theater is supported by a grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation.
CIM thanks its spring 2025 season sponsor, Eaton Corporation.
Mimi Ohio Theatre
Playhouse Square
1511 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
Music and Libretto/ Adam Del Monte
Flamenco Meets Opera: A Bold Tale of Defiance
“Oh, times of light, how they have fallen through the narrow
passage of the hourglass into an ashtray of darkness.”
Music and Libretto/ Adam Del Monte
Flamenco Meets Opera: A Bold Tale of Defiance
“Oh, times of light, how they have fallen through the narrow
passage of the hourglass into an ashtray of darkness.”
Music and Libretto/ Adam Del Monte
Flamenco Meets Opera: A Bold Tale of Defiance
“Oh, times of light, how they have fallen through the narrow
passage of the hourglass into an ashtray of darkness.”
Music and Libretto/ Adam Del Monte
Flamenco Meets Opera: A Bold Tale of Defiance
“Oh, times of light, how they have fallen through the narrow
passage of the hourglass into an ashtray of darkness.”
